Zuma said in a 30-minute farewell address to the nation on Wednesday night that he disagreed with the way the ANC had thrust him towards an early exit after Ramaphosa replaced him as party president, but that he would accept the party's orders.

Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete said she had received Zuma’s resignation letter, while the ANC hailed Zuma’s decision to step down.

Eight suspects were arrested on Wednesday during operations in Bloemfontein and Johannesburg. Two suspects are still at large and three are believed to be outside South Africa.

The arrests are in connection with the Estina dairy project in Vrede in the Free State. About R220-million was allegedly stolen from the project. The project was meant to be a lifeline to indigent farmers but saw millions of rand allegedly siphoned off to the Guptas.

Parliament met on February 15 2018 to elect a new president after Jacob Zuma announced his resignation as head of state.